Play Halted, But Not Before Leader Park Shoots 2-Under RoundWestfield, N.J. – Play was officially halted at 5:20 p.m. EDT as thunderstorms moved through the area. But not before 14-year-old In-Bee Park of Eustis, Fla., had another round under par to take a bold stride toward medalist honors in the second round of stroke play on Tuesday at the 54th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
Ten groups from the afternoon tee times finished play. Sixteen groups (48 players) were still on the course when horns went off. With lightning in the area, play was suspended for the day at 6:20 p.m. USGA officials said the resumption of play will begin at 7:30 a.m.
Only one round of match, set to start at 11 a.m. with the last group to begin at 3:08 p.m., will be played Wednesday. The rest of the schedule has not been announced.
After posting a 3-under-par 70 on Monday, Park, who was born in Korea, posted five birdies, a bogey and one double-bogey for a 2-under 71 over the 6,353-yard Echo Lake Country Club layout. Overall, she stands at 5-under 141.
No other players from the morning group were able to break par. Eom Ji Park, 17, of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, who was also born in Korea, and Amanda McConnell, 17, of Grand Blanc, Mich., posted 1-over 74s. The cut line is estimated to fall between 160-162.
“It was more calm today compared to yesterday,” said Eom Ji Park. “Yesterday I was really struggling with my driver and iron shots. With the greens, once you get above the hole, it’s really tough.”
For the second consecutive day, players have been met with hot and hazy conditions. Officials are keeping an eye on thunderstorms that have moved into the area, which may threaten to suspend play.
A model of consistency, In-Bee Park, starting on No. 10, began with five straight pars before birdieing the 448-yard par-5 15th. She then birdied No. 18, a 385-yard par 4. The day was capped off at the par-4 ninth with an impressive par save in which In-Bee Park got up and down by draining an 11-foot putt.
The key to her success has been the ability to hit the ball straight on a course that’s tree-lined and rewards players who can keep their tee shots in the fairway. That, in itself, has set up her game.
“She can hit it 240 yards,” said her coach Charlie Yoo. “She has been striking the ball well and hitting a lot of fairways.”
Asked what it would mean to be the medalist, the timid In-Bee Park smiled and said, “I’m very honored to be playing in this tournament.”
If In-Bee Park’s score holds up, she understands the field will be aiming for her. Last year she made it to the round of 32 at the Girls’ Junior at Indian Hills C.C. in Mission Hills, Kan.
“I’ll be nervous,” said In-Bee Park, whose family moved from Seoul, Korea, when she was 13 so she could work on her game.
Morgan Pressel, 14, of Boca Raton, Fla., a semifinalist at the 2001 U.S. Girls’ Junior and a qualifier for last year’s U.S. Women’s Open, teed off in the afternoon.
The championship’s youngest qualifier, Alexandria Buelow of Palm City, Fla., shot an 89 and finished at 176.
The U.S. Girls’ Junior is one of 13 championships conducted by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
The U.S. Girls’ Junior is open to female amateur golfers who have not reached their 18th birthday before July 27, 2002, and have USGA Handicap Indexes not exceeding 18.4.
After the completion of stroke play Wednesday, the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship field will be reduced to 64 players for match play. The first round of match play will be held on Wednesday. The championship final is scheduled for 9 a.m. EDT on Saturday.
Story written by Ken Klavon, USGA.
Results
Westfield, N.J. – Midday results of the second round of Tuesday’s second-round stroke play at the 2002 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at the 6,353-yard, par-73 Echo Lake Country Club.
Scores include the 10 groups from the afternoon that completed their rounds before play was halted.
In-Bee Park, Eustis, Fla., 70-71--141
Chris Brady, Apex, N.C., 73-77--150
Paula Creamer, Pleasanton, Calif., 75-75--150
Jane Park, Oak Valley, Calif., 76-75--151
Minnie Choi, Fountain Valley, Calif., 75-76--151
J Tangtiphaiboontana, Long Beach, Calif., 76-76--152
Nicole Hage, Coral Springs, Fla., 79-73--152
Lorraine Ballerano, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 75-77--152
Eom Ji Park, Canada, 79-74--153
Hannah Jun, San Diego, Calif., 78-75--153
Ashley Knoll, The Woodlands, Texas, 77-76--153
Tiffany Tavee, Gilbert, Ariz., 78-76--154
Christie Reed, Coral Springs, Fla., 79-75--154
Amanda Blumenherst, Fort Wayne, Ind., 79-76--155
Blair Lamb, Flat Rock, N.C., 77-78--155
Alejandra Llaneza, Mexico, 77-78--155
Julieta Granada, Paraguay, 76-79--155
Amanda McConnell, Grand Blanc, Mich., 82-74--156
Laura Caniff, Russell, Ky., 82-75--157
Alice Kim, Los Angeles, Calif., 81-76--157
Eleanor Tucker, Wilson, N.C., 81-76--157
Ashley Rollins, Austin, Texas, 77-80--157
Sukjin-Lee Wuesthoff, Toms River, N.J., 83-75--158
Jennie Lee, Huntington Beach, Calif., 80-78--158
Amanda Wilson, Hilo, Hawaii, 79-80--159
Anna Grzebien, Narragansett, R.I., 79-80--159
Jenny Suh, Fairfax, Va., 83-76--159
Margaret Shirley, Roswell, Ga., 80-79--159
Sydney Burlison, Salinas, Calif., 79-80--159
Michelle Wie, Honolulu, Hawaii, 83-77--160
Courtney McCracken, Eagle, Idaho, 75-85--160
Songyi Yi, San Diego, Calif., 80-80--160
Jean Reynolds, Newnan, Ga., 83-77--160
C J Kim, Diamond Bar, Calif., 82-78--160
Jennifer Hong, Windermere, Ind., 79-81--160
Alejandra Diaz, Mexico, 78-82--160
Ki-Shui Liao, Alameda, Calif., 81-80--161
Eva Hoi Ning Yoe, Hong Kong, 83-78--161
Amie Cochran, Torrance, Calif., 78-83--161
Megan Grehan, Mamaroneck, N.Y., 78-83--161
Theresa Paik, Silver Springs, Md., 81-80--161
Astrid Gulesserian, Argentina, 82-79--161
Hannah Hoch, Turlock, Calif., 80-81--161
Tara Chappell, Carmel, Calif., 78-84--162
Whitney Simons, Aiken, S.C., 82-80--162
Elizabeth Dotson, White Bluff, Tenn., 79-83--162
Jenna Winokur, Wall, N.J., 84-78--162
Jeana Dahl, Fargo, N.D., 78-85--163
Laura Cross, Midlothian, Texas, 84-79--163
Eloise Vicencio, Fremont, Calif., 81-83--164
Sohyun Park, Korea, 78-86--164
Pamela Ontiveros, Mexico, 84-81--165
Kelly Burke, Golden, Colo., 83-82--165
Emily Hoeper, Kansas City, Mo., 79-86--165
Daniella Ronderos, Colombia, 80-86--166
Maggie Noel, Houston, Texas, 82-84--166
Jessica Shin, Mankato, Minn., 86-80--166
Jessica Huss, Atascadero, Calif., 81-86--167
Seema Sadekar, Canada, 79-88--167
Christina Jones, Jensen Beach, Fla., 80-87--167
Taylor Bunnell, Germantown, Tenn., 83-84--167
Amanda Costner, Claremore, Okla., 87-81--168
Heather Rose, Chillicothe, Ohio, 85-83--168
Kelly Robb, Concord, Mass., 80-88--168
Joy Juskowich, Morgantown, W.Va., 85-84--169
Jenna Pearson, Wheaton, Ill., 85-84--169
Haley Brown, Austin, Texas, 88-81--169
Tamara Campbell, Lawton, Okla., 85-84--169
Mayule Tomimbang, Kissimmee, Fla., 87-82--169
Samantha Trask, Napa, Calif., 84-86--170
Rachel Schwartz, San Jose, Calif., 83-87--170
Taylor Siebert, Selma, Calif., 85-85--170
Tia Gannon, Hilton Head Island, S.C., 87-83--170
Jessica Hauser, Germanton, N.C., 86-84--170
Regina Rodriguez, Fort Morgan, Colo., 88-83--171
Renee Skidmore, Everett, Wash., 90-81--171
Amy Wang, Kirkland, Wash., 88-83--171
Sommer Scholl, Riverside, Calif., 84-88--172
Christina Schams, Chandler, Ariz., 87-85--172
Christine Yum, Bradenton, Fla., 90-82--172
Alexis Rather, Tupelo, Miss., 89-83--172
Kylene Pulley, Kokomo, Ind., 83-89--172
Elizabeth Reid, Canada, 85-87--172
Natalie Todd, Woodinville, Wash., 88-85--173
Vanessa Brockett, Los Angeles, Calif., 87-86--173
Ayumi Hori, Honolulu, Hawaii, 83-90--173
Lauren Espinosa, Irving, Texas, 92-83--175
Marie Bos, Orlando, Fla., 85-90--175
Chelsea Bach, Roscoe, Ill., 85-90--175
Courtney Sullivan, Gresham, Ore., 88-88--176
Alexandria Buelow, Palm City, Fla., 87-89--176
Heidi Kim, Sandy, Utah, 91-86--177
Gabby Dimora, Auburn, N.Y., 88-90--178
Michelle Grilli, Pikesville, Md., 84-94--178
Kelly Weisgarber, Fargo, N.D., 86-92--178
Taylor Barrett, York, S.C., 90-90--180
Caleigh Philo, Vero Beach, Fla., 88-93--181
Elli Brown, Meridian, Idaho, 90-92--182
Noel Larson, Clarion, Pa., 94-89--183
